Regarding time-lapse microscopy used to image living cells over a long time, there have been various improvements made in order to reduce time for observation when the photographed image (video) is to be observed.
In order to reduce time, there are some methods of analyzing the photographed cell image and calculating feature values. Examples of such techniques include techniques to recognize cells or the like by combining information of edge detection; contour extraction; filter processing, information of Z-axis direction; and the like (for example, see Patent Literatures 1 to 3 and Non Patent Literatures 1 to 3). According to such techniques, the regions in which the cells or the like are imaged would be classified, and a change in feature values with time would be output with respect to every classified region.